CHICKENS 229 



illustration). With males the body is iisnally more shalloAv in 

 the rear. But the males that have back and breast line most 

 nearly parallel are most likelj^ to transmit the greatest capacity 

 to their daughters. 



6. Body lines that appear rectangular, with pronounced 

 angles rather than rounding curves (see illustration). 



The quitters and poor layers have just the opposite characters, 

 such as dry, small, puckered vents; hard abdomens, firm skin, 

 shrunken, -pale combs ; yellow vent, beak, shanks, etc., and shal- 

 low, short bodies, indicating lack of capacity. 



FEEDING 



The laying hen requires in her ration the same elements that 

 she obtains in the spring and early summer Avlien given unlim- 

 ited range and access to i)lenty of grain. But she can obtain 

 these foods during these seasons only and if the farmer is to get 

 her to lay profitably during the rest of the year he nmst supple- 

 ment what nature fails to supply. The two foods that are largely 

 responsible for the sj^ring lay are the abundance of tender 

 greens and small animal life. These, with grain, is all that is 

 needed to start them laying. When the hot weather sets in, the 

 greens become dry and hard, and many of the worms burrow 

 deep into the soil. These conditions Avith the hot Aveather imme- 

 diately cause the egg yield to drop. As fall api^roaches more 

 natural laying conditions again are evident in the cooler 

 weather, new, tender greens and another crop of Avorms. But at 

 this time many birds start to moult and they are going to need 

 these foods to manufacture a ncAV coat and so cannot put this 

 food into the egg basket. This feather-building takes from sixty 

 to ninety clays. This is a vacation that all the hens must take. 

 With Avinter and its cold temperatures, no greens nor animal 

 food, the hen Avould naturally continue on this A^acation until 

 Avarmer weather again brought nature's natural reproductive 

 season. 



The laying ration, therefore, must contain Avhat nature sup- 

 plies in the spring. This should be then: 



1. Animal food in the form of meat scrap or better in the 

 form of sour milk or buttermilk. 



2. For best results and to insure good hatches in the spring, 

 green leaf food is necessary. Roots are good but Avill not take 

 the place of the green leaf elements for good hatches. 



3. A mash of ground feeds. 



4. A scratch grain made of tAvo or more grains. 



